As I sip on my Sagres beer, I consider the laughing mass of humanity in its incongruously remote setting. The words of one barefoot grandmother extolling the beauty of "Paraiso di Atlantico" [Paradise of the Atlantic] have never seemed more apt. TRAVELLER'S GUIDEGETTING THEREVisitors from the UK have to fly via Europe. All flights arrive at Sal, although a new airport on the island of Santiago will soon open for international flights.The writer travelled with TAP (0845 601 0932; www.flytap ), which flies daily to Sal from Heathrow or Gatwick via Lisbon, once a day. TACV (00 238 60 8200; www.flytacv ), the national carrier, also flies daily from Lisbon to Sal and weekly from Madrid, Paris, Amsterdam and Gran Canaria.
TACV offers a domestic air pass of two internal flights from €35 (£25) each or a five-flight pass for €50 (£36) per leg.STAYING THEREMindel Hotel, Praca Nova, Mindelo, Sao Vicente (00 238 232 8881). B&B from €61 (£43.60), including airport transfers.Cape Verde Travel (01964 536191; www.capeverdetravel.co.uk) arranged the writer's stay at the following hotels: Hotel Odjo d'Agua, Santa Maria, Sal (00 238 242 1414). B&B from €89/£63.60 Foya Branca, Sao Pedro, Sao Vicente (00 238 230 7400). B&B from €104/£74.30 Hotel Bluebell, Ponta do Sol, Santa Antao (00 238 225 1215; www.hotelbluebell.info). B&B from €40 (£28.40) Cape Verde Travel organises 14-night trips to the islands from £1,085 including flights.FURTHER INFORMATIONCape Verde Consul (07788 428 932; www.capeverdeconsul ).. I'm sure there are easier things to explain than why I'm sitting on the harbourside in Bergen at dawn, nursing a whalemeat sandwich wrapped in my underpants. The sun is freshly up and is picking off the Farrow & Ball palette of greys, gravels and pinks of the medieval clapboard warehouses of the quay - as romantic a sight on this pale northern morning as you will find anywhere in the world.
So let's not spoil the mood with scatological talk right now - let's get on to the whales. There is something deliciously naughty about indulging in any kind of vice in goody-goody Norway - surely the world's most politically correct nation. Doubles at Samburu Intrepids start from $375 (£208) full board including game drives. Doubles at the Great Rift Valley Lodge start from $235 (£131) full board. Doubles at Mara Intrepids from $415 (£231) full board including game drives.FURTHER INFORMATIONOut of Africa by Karen Blixen (Penguin, £7.99)Kenya Tourist Board: 020-7202 6373; www.magicalkenya .. Other operators with similar packages include The Ultimate Travel Company (020-7386 4646; www.theultimatetravelcompany.co.uk) and Thomson Worldwide (08701 607438; www.thomsonworlwide.co.uk).You can fly to Nairobi on Kenya Airways or British Airways (0870 950 8950; www.ba ); each flies daily from Heathrow.STAYING THERESamburu Intrepids, The Great Rift Valley Lodge and Mara Intrepids can be booked through Heritage Hotels.
